One of the things we really like about EVE Online is how the game experience is player-driven, and that goes far beyond the more notorious aspects which have garnered a lot of attention of late. EVE's open setting of New Eden allows players to establish all types of ventures or organizations -- anything ranging from lotteries and banks to corporations focused on wormhole colonization is possible. Some players opt to create training corps that teach new players about the many aspects of this rather complex game.

When it comes to training corps there are several well-known options. EVE University is perhaps the most famous training corp in New Eden, but others like 1st Steps Academy and Trader's Academy exist to help out new players. For those hell bent on jumping into PvP, Agony Unleashed offers classes that can help you on your way. Now there's a newcomer to the roster of training corporations in the game -- the Open University of Celestial Hardship [OUCH].
Unlike most other training corps in New Eden, OUCH is focused on giving players nullsec (lawless space) survival training. OUCH is run by Black Claw (aka Alexia Morgan), a player we've mentioned in the past at Massively. The training corp's recruitment pitch states: "We're based on the border of empire space and nullspace, allowing our members to ease into nullspace activity without being thrown into the deep end. Our goal is to help people get skills and confidence in entering and living in nullspace." To that end, OUCH will teach its recruits the tactics that will allow them to survive and thrive in New Eden's lawless space.

Still, for players who've spent a substantial amount of time in the relative security of Empire space, venturing into the wilds of nullsec can certainly be intimidating at first. OUCH aims to make the transition easier for new players and provides the ships and modules that recruits use, eliminating much of the financial risk to seeing what nullsec has to offer. The corp will even provide skillbooks for players who need them as well. This policy of providing for recruits is helped in large part by some generous donations and support from members of the EVE Online playerbase.

If you're new to the game or just want to get out of high security space and see what's out there, see what the Open University of Celestial Hardship can do for you. Interested parties can join the public channel OUCH-UNI in-game to speak with Black Claw and find out more, and be sure to check out the recruitment post as well or read about the corp on the EVE forums.